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And by “shared prosperity” she means you gotta pay for the free stuff she’s promised others.
From Seattle Times: Telling an enthusiastic crowd she’s been nicknamed “the impatient mayor” at City Hall, Jenny Durkan vowed to attack Seattle’s homelessness and affordable-housing criseswith urgency as she delivered her first State of the City address Tuesday.
Thecity will be better off “when prosperity is shared, and is not just for the few,” Durkan said, arguing that disparities are threatening “the soul of our city.”
“We have a booming economy,” she said. “Yet far too many of us — our families, neighbors, artists, small businesses — are being forced out of the city that they love.”
In the speech at Rainier Beach High School, Durkan sketched out an optimistic vision of what she believes Seattle can be — while admitting that traffic and housing problems are today’s reality and will be difficult to solve. Also, the city’s economic growth is bound to slow.
“In preparing next year’s budget, I will be asking all the city’s departments to recognize we have to live within our city’s means,” she said, even as she previewed some new initiatives.
Durkan said her administration plans to build more low-income housing, provide free transit to all public high-school students by next fall and free community college to all public high-school graduates, work with the City Council on new rights for domestic workers and propose legislation to encourage the construction of greener buildings.
For the college program, Durkan wants to tap the city’s Families and Education Levy, which will be up for renewal on the ballot later this year.
She paid tribute to Rainier Beach students who have advocated for transit passes, and to Rainier Beach graduates from immigrant families who are thriving in college. “Rainier Beach is the place where people come together to get things done,” Durkan said, drawing applause at the South End school where graduation rates have climbed.
The mayor pledged to deliver basic services to Seattle residents “better and smarter” and several times touted a commitment to racial and social justice.
More excerpts from this article:
“She opened her remarks Tuesday by reminding the crowd that Seattle is named after Chief Sealth and that the city “resides in the Coast Salish territories.”
“We believe every person is born with dignity and promise, and they deserve real respect and real opportunity. A person’s value is not based on her net worth. Or the country of birth. Or the color of skin. Or the gender of the person they love,” she said.
Durkan added, “Seattle will stand up to be a safe and welcoming city — especially with Donald Trump as our president. Our immigrant and refugee neighbors believe in the promise of America — and we will deliver on that promise.”
She cautioned about harder times ahead, saying Seattle’s economic growth spur “won’t last forever and City Hall’s recent spending splurge “isn’t sustainable.”
“Unfortunately, a deficit is on the horizon,” she said, predicting some budget cuts.”
Read the rest of the story here.